Certificate of Origin Circular

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref. : CS/DI/4/60

20 March 2007

Dear Sirs,

Certificate of Origin Circular No. 4/2007

Introduction of On-line Factory Registration Application Service

Introduction

This circular informs manufacturers that the Trade and Industry Department ("the Department") will launch an On-line Factory Registration Application ("FRA") Service ("the Service") through the "E-Services" webpage in its Internet website (www.tid.gov.hk) as from 30 March 2007. 

The Service

2. The Service provides an alternative option for manufacturers to apply for factory registration. Apart from visiting the Department in person to lodge applications, manufacturers intending to lodge fresh applications for Factory Registration ("FR") (TID91)¹ may from 30 March 2007 do so through the "E-Services" webpage and experience the convenience brought about by the Service.
   
   
3. A step-by-step guide to the Service is set out as follows :
   

1. Manufacturers have to create an FRA account with a Login ID and a Password defined by them at the "E-Services" webpage, which will be used to access their application particulars before and after lodging their applications.
   
   
2. Manufacturers can then login to the Service to fill in the FR application particulars, which can be saved for further updating, if necessary, before it is lodged to the Department for processing.
   
   
3. At the time of lodging the FR application on-line, manufacturers may opt to send the requisite supporting documents by using an on-line upload function² .
   
   
4. If any of the requisite supporting documents is not sent through the on-line upload function at the time of lodging the FR application, manufacturers can send them to the Department afterwards by fax (Fax No. : 3525 1534) by using the standard fax cover generated from the Service.
   
   
5. On receipt of the on-line FR application and all the requisite supporting documents, the application will be processed by the Department. If everything is found in order, manufacturers will be informed of the date and time of interview through their designated email address.
   
   
6. Throughout the processing stage of the application, manufacturers may use the on-line function to enquire about the status of their application and/or change the assigned date and time of the interview, if necessary.
   

4. Notwithstanding the launch of the Service on 30 March 2007, the existing mode of lodging FR applications in person will continue to be accepted.

Benefits of the Service

5. The Service will bring forth the following benefits :

1. Applications for factory registration can be filled in and lodged on-line, with supporting documents delivered through an on-line upload function or by fax in a secure and convenient way.
   
   
2. The Department can communicate with applicants on any particulars of the application through its designated email address.
   
   
3. Applicants are able to return their applications after corrections, if necessary, to the Department through the Service.
   
   
4. If the application particulars and the supporting documents provided are found in order, applicants will be invited to visit the Department once only for the interview regarding the FR application³ . 
   

Conditions and Requirements for FR

6. The prevailing registration conditions and requirements for FR will remain unchanged with the introduction of this Service. Manufacturers may wish to refer to the relevant trade circulars issued by the Director-General of Trade and Industry from time to time, which can be collected free of charge at the Customer Service Centre of the Factory Registration and CO(CEPA) Branch or downloaded from the homepage (www.tid.gov.hk) of the Department.

Warning

7. Receipt of on-line FR application shall not be deemed as an indication that the FR application will be/has been approved. Besides, once the application is approved, the continuation of the registration is conditional upon compliance with the conditions of registration set out under the Import and Export Ordinance, in the application for FR, or in the relevant Notices of Exporters/Certificate of Origin Circulars issued by the Trade and Industry Department from time to time.
   
   
8. Failure by registered factory(ies) to comply with any condition of registration or breach of undertaking constitutes an offence under the Import and Export (General) Regulations and Export (Certificates of Origin) Regulations and is liable on conviction to a fine of HK$500,000 and 2 years' imprisonment. The Department may, in addition to legal actions, take administrative actions against the parties concerned. Such administrative actions may include, but shall not necessarily be confined to, any or all of the following: refusal to validate a production notification; refusal to issue a certificate of origin; suspension of certification services or cancellation of Factory Registration.
   

Enquiries

9. Enquires on the Service should be directed to the following office -

Yours faithfully,

(Donald CHUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

1. While the Service is now catered for fresh Factory Registration (FR) only, the Department is considering initiatives to enhance the Department¡¦s Web Portal to facilitate other services under FR.
2. Accepted image file formats : JPG, JPEG, TIF, TIFF, GIF, BMP and PDF.
3. The performance pledge for FR applications lodged through the Service is the same as those lodged in person. If everything is found in order, the Department will inform the applicant of the approval of the application and the FR number of the factory within 14 clear working days from the date of the interview.